Something else

August 2024

It's becoming increasingly evident that in many circles, AI is not perceived as merely a technology, but as "something else" entirely. This misconception is exemplified by the recurring debate: "Humans vs AI." To illustrate the absurdity of this framing, let's replace "AI" with "technology":

"Humans vs Technology"

This reframing immediately highlights the fallacy of the original question. Technology is simply applied human knowledge. Everything in our environment, from the simplest tools to the most complex machines, is technology. Using a stone, harnessing fire, driving a car, operating a computer, or running software – all of these activities involve technology. Positioning a debate as "humans vs technology" is not only meaningless but also negates the fact that humans are inherently technological beings. Consider art: if you use a pen or paint, you're employing technology. One could argue that the only truly non-technological artist was the prehistoric painter in the Altamira caves using their own blood to paint. Since then, we've all been using technology in our creative pursuits. Using AI is simply utilizing another form of technology. The debate between "Humans vs AI" is as nonsensical as debating "Humans vs Pencils." Both are tools created by human ingenuity to enhance our capabilities. However, if AI is perceived as "something else" rather than technology, the "Humans vs AI" debate takes on a completely different meaning. This "something else" is difficult to define but might be conceptualized as either "another form of life" or even a "god-like entity." To illustrate this shift in perspective, let's replace "AI" with "Aliens" in our original debate:

"Humans vs Aliens"

Suddenly, this framing makes more sense as a potential conflict between two distinct entities. In such a scenario, one would expect most people on Earth to side with humanity. The critical point here is whether you think with AI we are actually creating a new form of life or simply developing another technology. This distinction is fundamental to how we approach and regulate AI development. The tendency to view AI as "something else" may stem from our propensity to anthropomorphize complex systems, combined with science fiction and popular media often portraying AI as sentient beings, potentially skewing public perception.

Regardless of whether you believe aliens are coming or not, it's crucial to always side with humanity. We will need our human technology if they do arrive.